Preparations for 5th Summit of the Americas reach high pitch

Source: Xinhua | 04-16-2009 15:11

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Preparations for the upcoming Summit of the Americas are reaching a high pitch in the capital city of Trinidad and Tobago as it gets ready to host the leaders of 34 Western hemisphere nations during summit meetings here on April 17-19.

UNPRECEDENTED TASK FOR HOST COUNTRY

Trinidad and Tobago, the two-island nation off the northern coast of South America, has a population of about 1.3 million and land territories of 5,128 square kilometers. The country faces an unprecedented task to accommodate such a big event that heavily taxes its infrastructure, lodging and human resources.

Workers are scurrying to apply fresh paint to buildings, complete three new hangars at Piarco Airport in the capital city, repave key roads and finish a promenade and fountains at the new Port of Spain International Waterfront.

Barack Obama, the first U.S. president to attend the gathering, will lead the 1,000-member U.S. delegation, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, according to local and U.S. news reports.

They will arrive on 25 aircraft. One of the three new hangars at the airport will be used exclusively for Air Force One, a three-deck Boeing VC-25 that will carry a 26-member crew and 76 passengers. It will be the largest of the 30-plus planes transporting 34 national leaders and 5,000 delegates attending the summit.

Tucked into the belly of one of the U.S. aircraft will be "the Beast," Obama's official, military-grade, armor-plated, tinted-glass limousine. The president's personal physician and medical team will travel with him, bringing along a blood supply in case the president should need emergency treatment.

The nearly 10-million-U.S. dollar upgrade at Piarco Airport includes improvements at the south terminal, where arrival ceremonies will be held; the resurfacing of roads surrounding the airport; and new lighting and landscaping.